The Dance of a Lifetime
by Ariyah
Summary: During his visit with Peggy, Steve is reminded of exactly how stubborn she could be, even when it comes to seventy-year-old rain checks. An extension of the WS scene. By Ariel of Narnia.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters - if I did, I wouldn't have had the tough time I had in writing this story. I do not own the song mentioned - if I did, I'd be a better poet. (The song, by the by, is from the _Miss Potter_ film.)

 **Much thanks to:** Hobbit of Narnia, Tenethia South, and Meryah for reading this ahead of time for me and offering me their invaluable comments.

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The pang in his chest reminded Steve that he had known from the beginning: that this visit wasn't going to be easy. He had prepared himself for the strangeness of the situation, the years of catching up, the appearance of his host – elderly, alone in this nursing home, and so very frail. He had been ready for that – mostly. But then that light had dawned in her eyes – almost as bright as he remembered it – before thin tears veiled that spark. _Not Peggy. Not brave, stalwart Peggy._

"It's been so long…," she said. "So long."

"Well, I couldn't leave my best girl. Not when she owes me a dance."

She closed her eyes, forcing back her unshed tears, and took a breath to compose herself. A moment later, her brown eyes were open and twinkling. "Well, my dancing's not what it used to be, but we can have the band play something slow." She carefully raised herself up. "Just don't tell the nurses."

He reached for her arm to stop her. "No, it's alright, you don't need to –"

"You'll need to know something for the day you find the right partner."

"I don't think so, Peg."

She wagged a finger at him. "And this is how you never learned to dance, Steven Rogers." He smiled and shook his head, but he helped Peggy up all the same. "If you'll pass me that shawl, we will begin."

Steve tried to ignore the walker that held the requested shawl. Tried not to think about the grip of her thin hand on his arm. Tried to forget that she needed support just to stand.

"Now, your right hand goes against your partner's back – like so – and your left holds her right like this." Her own left hand followed his arm up to his shoulder, as if it did not have the strength to make the journey on its own. "And I will offset myself."

Steve studied their positions. "I hope I don't trip you up."

Peggy's eyes crinkled up. "No pressure. You will lead with your left foot forward." She took a step back, so he followed with his left as instructed. "And now your right comes up to the side –" he followed her motion until his feet were shoulder-width apart. " – and then you follow that with your left. Now reverse it: step back with your right; then your left to the side; and then –" Steve finished on his own by bringing his feet together again, then looked up to find her already smiling in approval. "Now all together. One. Two. Three. One. Two. Three. Look at me – one, two, three, one, two, three."

Steve faltered a little, but he focused on Peggy and followed her lead until he managed the cycle a couple times without a misstep. She even got them rotating – or "half-turning", as she called it.

"Shall we do it to music?"

Concentration shattered, Steve halted all movement. "Ah… sure." Peggy angled herself toward her nightstand, so he walked with her to lend support. She sank onto the chair and proceeded to rifle through some CDs, her fingers shaking slightly. "Maybe you ought to rest instead," Steve suggested. "Don't want you to tire yourself."

Peggy held up a disc for a moment before loading it into the player. "This is from one of our favourite films before Daniel died. Maybe because we saw a bit of ourselves in the characters. Nice song, too."

The fact that she had ignored Steve was not lost on him. He was about to repeat himself, but Peggy reached for his hand and the music started with the soft tones of a guitar. There was not quite time to position themselves before the lyrics began: _"When you taught me how to dance, years ago with misty eyes…."_ "Quite the appropriate selection," he said with a smile.

Peggy returned it. "Ready? One, two, three; one, two, three; one, two, three…."

It was even better to music. Once Steve remembered what to do with his feet, he could feel himself gliding to the tune. Maybe there was something to this whole dancing business after all –

Peggy's weight against his shoulder suddenly changed and he instinctively tightened his hold to keep her from falling. "Peg, you alright?"

"I'm fine," she insisted, but her legs were unsteady and she began to cough.

Steve bent down and lifted her as the song transitioned out of the bridge and back into the first verse. _I shouldn't have let her get up._ Her coughs died down just as quickly as they had begun, but he set her down in the chair and offered her a glass of water, which she accepted. The last note of the song faded and Peggy released a soft breath.

"Congratulations, Captain," she said. "You've just learned to dance."

 _I didn't think it'd feel quite like this. But then –_ "You're a patient teacher: I _was_ seventy years late for my first lesson." He smiled and nodded at a photograph on her nightstand. "I'm just glad you found another partner."

She, too, smiled. "You would have liked him."

Steve studied the face in the photograph. Intelligent and very serious, but alight with a broad, laughing smile. Perhaps Peggy's earlier description of him played into his assessment, but he was sure he could read as much from the photograph. Besides, that was the man Peggy loved, so he could have been no less than that. Believing it in so many words brought a sense of relief. _If there was one man to entrust with Peggy, it had to have been this man, this… Daniel._ If he had thought it any use, Steve would have thanked the man in the photograph, thanked him for everything he gave Peggy in Steve's own absence, thanked him for everything he was to her. "I would have liked to have met him."

For a moment longer, it was just the three of them: Steve, Peggy, and Daniel. The three of them and all the unspoken words that hung in the air between them.

The silence was broken by the buzzing of Steve's phone, alerting him of the time. "I should be heading back."

Peggy reached out her free arm and gave him a light embrace. "Thank you for visiting, Steve. It was wonderful to see you, wonderful."

He hugged back. "I promise I'll come see you again." Peggy released him and he headed for the door.

"If she asks –"

He stopped to look back.

" – whomever she turns out to be – it's a waltz."

His eyes darted back to the photograph of Daniel and Peggy Sousa with their children. "Maybe one day. Bye, Peggy."

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